Nothing regarding HTC's next phone is known for sure at the moment, so take this image with a pinch or two or salt. That said, it certainly looks like a plausible design for an HTC mobile, with a metal chin that's reminiscent of the beloved HTC Hero.

On the bottom of the picture you can see capacitive 'back' and 'home' buttons, but the app-switching button that's present on mobiles such as the One X is conspicuously absent.

That button usually handles multi-tasking, making it easy to call up a list of apps you have running. The picture suggests HTC may be ditching this system with its new mobiles, however, in favour of on-screen multi-tasking control.

The home screen shows what could be a new look for HTC's Sense interface, with tiled Facebook updates and a minimalist clock widget. Historically Sense has been one of the better Android skins out there, and this snap suggests that the Taiwanese firm could even be borrowing some design cues from Windows Phone in preparing a new version.

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Luke Westaway is a senior editor at CNET and writer/ presenter of Adventures in Tech, a thrilling gadget show produced in our London office. Luke's focus is on keeping you in the loop with a mix of video, features, expert opinion and analysis.
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